His Cheshire Cat Grin
by Toreshi
Summary: Hermione was not a witch to be messed with, yet Cedric decided to mess with her anyway. The Triwizard Cup reveals new sides of people who were oh so predictable before. CHr. Chp3 UP! Yule Ball magicness! See Cedric be cutely jealous!
1. Bitch

**A/N:** This is not exactly a songfic, but it was inspired by the song 'Bitch' by Meredith Brooks. I'll be writing a story for each keyword in the chorus, but since doesn't want titles with names higher than G rating, I'm obligated to call it something else in the main title. It's my first fanfic in a while so please only constructive criticism.

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**Bitch**

Hermione Granger was not a witch to be messed with. Obviously the book that she was currently trying to reach had not been informed of this. She jumped to reach the spine of the book and fell short by inches again.

"Hey there."

Hermione spun round to see the older Triwizard champion of Hogwarts grinning at her like the Cheshire Cat and while it was a very charming grin, one which she was in the danger of falling into, she just didn't feel like falling into it!

"I don't know where Harry is," said Hermione turning back to the stubborn book and its bookshelf fortress.

"Well that's very well and all, but it's my dear Hermione Granger that I'm concerning myself with at the moment," said Cedric, not once batting an eyelash. Cedric was proud of himself of such an accomplishment, but unfortunately he realized a little too late that the line that he had just used was absolutely atrocious. He mentally took note to smack himself in the forehead when he got out of the library.

Hermione in the mean time decided not to even deign to look at him again and continued to jump for her book.

"I'm not dear and I'm not _your_ anything!" said Hermione.

_Jump._

"Even if I do happen to be Hermione Granger," she continued.

_Jump._

"Damn it! You bitch of a book!" hissed Hermione, earning a strange look from Cedric.

He stepped between her and the bookshelf she was attacking and looked her straight in the eye. "As sure as I am that the book will reply with an equally scathing insult, I was hoping that I could talk to you for a second?" asked Cedric hopefully. Hermione glared at him and huffed.

"Alright, if you can get my book down for me, I'll listen to what you have to say," replied Hermione exasperatedly. The book was far enough that even with his stature, he'd have to jump and Hermione had decided it would be amusing to see Cedric jump up and down like a kangaroo, even if he didn't know what that was.

"A simple enough request," said Cedric with a shrug of his shoulders. He whipped out his wand. "_Accio_ book!"

The book flew out from its perch without further ado and landed firmly in Cedric's hands, though Hermione was starting to wish it had landed in his face. It would have wiped that irritatingly attractive Cheshire cat grin off his face.

Cedric handed the book to Hermione while she mentally berated herself. She was a witch for Merlin's sake, why hadn't she though of that herself?

"My princess, I have completed your quest, may I now have a second of your time?" asked Cedric dramatically, though in hushed tones. Madame Pince was starting to patrol the library again and was just passing by.

She glared at the two and Hermione cringed to think of what she would say if she'd known that Hermione was hopping up and down to get a book. Cedric just smiled and waved brightly at the librarian and as soon as she left, turned back to Hermione who was trying to sneak away.

"Well?" whispered Cedric, amused. Hermione gave up on her attempt to escape her tormentor. She gave a final humph for good measure and crossed her arms defensively.

"Fine, but I'm not telling you anything about the egg," said Hermione resolutely as she tried to look intimidating. The rest of the school was still backing Cedric and giving Harry a hard time, and it just wasn't fair. She'd protect Harry from Cedric and everyone else by herself if she'd have to.

It amused Cedric to no end that a girl who barely reached the tip of his nose was trying to look down her nose at him.

"That's because you haven't solved it and it's driving you insane isn't it?" Cedric quipped in cheekily and only just managed to halt the onslaught of rebuttal that was about to spill from her lips by continuing on, "and as much as you seem to dislike being my _anything_ as you put it so delightfully, I was wondering if you would be the _anything_ that I take to the Yule Ball."

All that was said in quite a rush to prevent to her saying a word till he'd gotten all that off his chest because Cedric didn't think that he could pluck up the courage to ask a second time.

She was the most intimidating witch he'd ever had the pleasure of knowing, and even though she wasn't successful in staring him down, he was definitely was intimidated, that was, until she started to imitate the expression of a goldfish.

"You want _me_ to be the _anything_ you take to the ball?!" gasped Hermione. Not one, but _two_ Triwizard champions were interested in her; it was as though they were conspiring against her.

Suddenly the giggling of fans could be heard coming closer as Cedric's hopefuls approached them.

"You might want to hurry with your answer before I disappear into the night, those girls can be like vampires sometimes, I swear they'd do anything to get me to take them to the ball," whispered Cedric looking to her urgently. Much to his disappointment, Hermione's goldfish impression was dropped and worse, was replaced by one of apologetic unease. He was so sweet, and he looked so earnestly at her that she hated to turn him down.

"I'm really sorry Cedric, but someone else asked first and I already said yes," said Hermione watching his hope bubble pop and his Cheshire grin drop at last. "If it weren't for that, I'd go with you though." She looked down at her book to avoid looking at his sad puppy face, it made her feel uncomfortable that she'd upset one of the most sought after boys at school.

"So you won't mind practicing the waltz with me then?" said Cedric. Hermione's head shot up to see that the Cheshire cat had reappeared on his face. "As much as theories may help, only practice can make perfect," he said gesturing down at her book.

The words _To Perfect the Waltz_ stared at them as an elegantly dressed couple danced across the cover of the book. Hermione blushed and hid the book from him. She was caught!

"I, I," she stuttered, Hermione Granger was never speechless, and yet a mere boy with the grin of a fictional cat had bested her! The giggles got louder and she was snapped out of her thoughts and she made a rash decision. "I guess I'll take your offer up," said Hermione defeated. She hoped that she wouldn't regret it, but his face just lit up and he was grinning like that damned cat again!

"Was it my charm or my smile?" asked Cedric. Hermione glared at him.

"You can leave the Cheshire cat out of this thank you very much," she snapped at him. He at once lost the grin and looked at her confused.

"What's a Cheshire cat and what does it have to do with my charm?" he asked, thrown. Hermione smirked. At last she'd gotten rid of that damned cat.

"My dear Cedric Diggory, I always thought you were a well-read wizard," said Hermione with a smug shake of her head, "guess I was wrong. You can practice with me when you discover for yourself what it is." She tossed her head and walked off leaving a very confused Cedric amongst the bookshelves to fend off his fans by himself.

Cedric watched her leave with wonder. He'd survived asking her to the Yule Ball, and even if he couldn't take her to the ball, he would still be practicing the waltz with her. That is, if he could figure out what this mysterious 'Cheshire cat' was. He shook his head and smiled to himself. Hermione Granger was definitely a witch not to be messed with.

"Cedric, what were you doing with that Granger girl?" demanded a shrill voice. Cedric gulped and backed away from his vampiric fans. The horde was closing in and they were angry. "I thought I heard you asking her to the Yule Ball."

Cedric realized too late that Hermione had left him to fight off his fans by himself.

"What a bitch!" laughed Cedric to himself.


	2. Lover

**Dedicated to:**

morethenitseems aka PotterChick1010 – for inspiring me with your fanVid!

hermione Rulz – for being the first to review THANK YOU!!!

jellyacey, ginsensu, Mina and longpk7 – for the support

Kennedy – for being so enthusiastic The 'Bitch' fanVid that inspired me can be found in a link on my profile.

And finally to Right or Ryn - for the most constructive and longest review that anyone in my family of fanfic writers has ever seen. I have taken your advice as you could probably tell!

I'm sorry this has taken a month in the making, but I've been very busy at Uni.

And now, enjoy!!

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**Her Storm-Gray-Boy**

**(A.k.a. _Lover_)**

"Alice in Wonderland!" said Cedric triumphantly as he pounced into Hermione's path and proceeded to watch her topple under the weight of the tomes she carried. Looking down at her, Cedric saw an angel, innocent and sweet and hopelessly trapped by her literary addiction.

Hermione looked up at him saw that dratted fictional character infused in his cheeky grin. Luckily a hand that offered help accompanied that cheeky grin or Hermione may have hexed him with a jelly-legs jinx. She pushed off a tome or two and let him pull her up before she began questioning his abnormal, or rather, what seemed normal-for-him behavior.

"What on earth were you thinking, scaring me like that?" asked Hermione annoyed with him, "I could have seriously damaged the books when I dropped them!"

"And _you_ could seriously hurt your back by constantly straining yourself under a load that even Hercules would have trouble lifting! You should thank me, I saved your back."

"Oh please, Hercules could have managed fine lifting these but since he was a man that was more brawn than brain so I doubt he would have been carrying books," countered Hermione trying very hard to hold onto her annoyance, but it was slipping away in light of his ridiculous debate and she could feel the corners of her mouth twitching. "What were you saying when you were shouting at me like a maniac?" she asked, now in better humor as he helped her pick up her heavy tomes.

All of them were potions texts and Cedric looked at them with disgust but held onto them anyway. He smiled a sweet smile at Hermione before answering.

"Alice in Wonderland."

"Yes, what about her?" asked Hermione puzzled as she held her hand out for her books, "could I have my books please?"

"The Cheshire cat, he's from the muggle book 'Alice in Wonderland'! And no, I will play the gentleman and help you carry these books to wherever you see fit for us to practice," said Cedric holding the books high out of her reach.

Hermione didn't care for jumping up and down again in front of him and she glared at him straight in the eye. She saw the mischievous sparkle in his eye and suddenly his Cheshire cat grin was back.

"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about Mr. Diggory," said Hermione, she turned on her heel and walked off. Her books were a sacrifice she'd have to make if she wanted to escape the seductive clutches of the Cheshire cat and his ramblings. Just because the Cheshire cat knew that he was infuriating, didn't mean he would stop being infuriating.

Cedric chased after her hefting her books under his arm like a quaffle.

"Aw," he whined like a child, "but you _promised_! You said you'd practice the waltz with me if I found out what the Cheshire cat had to do with me and I have!"

Hermione continued to walk.

"I _said_ I'd practice with you, I didn't _promise_!"

"So you admit you said it!" the triumphant gleam was in his eye as he caught up with her. He jumped in front of her and she barely stopped herself in time.

As it was, she ended up nose to nose with Cedric, his face having adopted an absolutely adorable expression befitting a lost puppy, but was just as effective on him. She backed up and blushed prettily.

"Please?" asked Cedric imploringly, batting his gray eyes at her.

Hermione rolled her eyes, even though she couldn't stop blushing.

"Oh all right," said Hermione in defeat. Cedric's face lit up and suddenly, dancing with him didn't seem like such a chore. She needed practice anyway, may as well have a good-looking boy to practice with.

"Then lets go this way," said Cedric as he walked off with her books.

Hermione followed nervously, she could feel the glares of Cedric's fan club as they walked together. The girls were polite enough to let them pass without verbal comment, but the looks they gave felt like knives. Hermione was so self-conscious that she didn't even notice that Cedric had led her outside. She nearly tripped as the path they were walking started to slope downhill.

"Cedric, where are we going? I thought you said we were going to practicing dancing," stated Hermione as she stopped in her confusion.

"It's such a forever-blue-day, I thought it'd be nice to practice outside," said Cedric as he taunted her with her captive books.

Hermione was confused. Cedric was holding her books hostage, leading her _outside_ to practice an indoor activity, and describing a day with colours previously not known to man. Cedric Diggory was a strange boy, Hermione decided.

When she still hesitated, Cedric gave up, grabbed Hermione's hand and dragged her along after him. Hermione blushed but went along with him, since Cedric was distracting enough for her to overcome her self-consciousness.

It seemed ages since they'd left the library but eventually Cedric led Hermione out to a grassy knoll over looking the Black Lake.

Hermione looked up to see a sky of unbelievable blue. The lake's surface was like glass, reflecting the perfect blue of the sky and Hermione could not help but gasp at the beautiful scene. A forever-blue-day.

Hermione was too much in awe to be irritated by the fact that she was agreeing with Cedric.

Cedric smiled when he heard her reaction and put down her books on a convenient rock with much relief. There was afterall, a formidable lot of them. Hermione looked doubtfully at the rock but followed his lead and balanced her pile on top.

"Now what?" asked Hermione as she looked at him nervously, "how can we practice with no music?" Cedric laughed and withdrew his wand from his robes.

"I'm a wizard aren't I?" he said as he twirled his wand between his sturdy fingers, "_meloduccia!_" A classical waltz began to float from his wand. Cedric bowed and offered Hermione his hand. "Would my lady care to dance?" he asked, looking at her expectantly and grinning his cheshire cat grin.

As Hermione lifted her hand to accept his she felt a sudden panic rise in her throat and she froze.

Boys didn't usually pay attention to her let alone go to the efforts that the gallant Cedric Diggory had so that she would dance with him. She was being set up! Her mind was working at a mile per minute and she had come to the conclusion that Cedric was out to humiliate her like so many other pure-bloods in the school.

Hermione's head shot up, but Cedric didn't flinch under her intensely accusing gaze.

Cedric looked back at her with his storm gray eyes and continued to grin. He could feel her thinking that his attempt to come close to her was an attempt to shame her, but he wasn't backing down, no matter how nervous Hermione made him feel. If she stared for any longer with her hazel eyes he'd probably spontaneously combust.

In his eyes Hermione saw his shyness, despite his usual cheshire grin, he was just as afraid as she was and suddenly dancing with him seemed more believable. She smiled at him and his eyes smiled back. Feeling more at ease, she accepted his hand and let him take her waist and they started to dance to the three-beat music.

"This isn't so bad is it?" Cedric asked the top of her head as he lead her through the steps slowly.

Hermione felt that if she looked away from her feet they'd end up on top of his, which wouldn't be a tragedy, but would be embarassing enough. Cedric sighed.

"You can look up at me you know, your feet aren't going to go rogue and stomp all over mine if you look away for a second," he said, and got a glare from Hermione. At least she was looking at him now.

Hermione let herself get caught in his gaze and relax into his surprisingly comfortable arms.

The gray in his eyes changed as she watched as they danced from sunlight to patches of shade, and suddenly it didn't matter that his grin was so irritating, because his eyes, those strange gray eyes told a different story. He was exactly who he appeared to be, except that beneath that self-confident Prefect was a boy who was still young, still insecure about his feelings.

Cedric was disconcerted by her intense gaze. Hermione seemed to be looking through windows when she looked into his eyes. Did she like what she saw? Feeling a strange panic building up he spun her several times quickly to break eye contact.

As Cedric spun her Hermione saw flashes of a breathtakingly blue sky and a breathtakingly beautiful boy and could feel euphoria gradually overtaking her mind. The ludricousness of her situation had finally caught up with her and laughter burst out of her.

It fell on Cedric's ears like waking up to see the first snow of winter; sudden and gorgeous. Hermione's hair was swirling around her and catching the sunlight. It turned to gold, while her eyes glowed an inviting amber. In short, Hermione was a masterpiece, and Cedric felt awed to have seen her.

He was suddenly aware of the laughter of a second person, and realised that it was his. Laughter is contagious afterall.

Wind whipped around them as Cedric took hold of Hermione's other hand. The music from his wand changed from a slow waltz to something slightly wild with youth. They spun together laughing, dancing, tumbling and falling.

On top of each other.

Hermione blushed heavily as she looked down into his strange gray eyes and he looked into hers.

Cedric couldn't stop himself. He felt her on top of him. He knew what this position suggested. He was, no matter how mature, still a teenager. He really couldn't stop it.

And so, Cedric Diggory _blushed_.

Then he blushed _because_ he was blushing.

All this blushing was certainly making him a nice looking tomato, but a strange-looking boy. Cedric hoped Hermione wouldn't notice, but then there was more chance of her not noticing the second-coming of Voldemort than her missing his unmanly blush.

Hermione blinked in surprise.

Cedric was going redder and redder by the second and didn't show any signs of stopping. She poked his cheek to make sure she wasn't just imagining things. Then she poked him a second time for good measure.

"You're blushing," said Hermione in disbelief.

Young men didn't blush. It was unmanly. They just didn't! Cedric was again jumbling Hermione's pre-conceived notions on men.

She let out an absurd giggle which was fast followed with hysterical laughter. Cedric joined in because he couldn't think of anything else to do.

Hermione's eyes laughed when she laughed, and more importantly, she was open.

Cedric could see finally the girl she was, and not just the hint of the girl that Hermione let out from behind her walls on a rare occasion. It had only cost him a good slice out of his dignity and a forever-blue-day.

Something cold fell onto his forehead and they both looked up.

Blue sky was replaced by the wind that had tipped them over and swirling clouds. More raindrops fell as the storm picked up its pace making Cedric and Hermione rush as they gathered up her books and his wand.

Hand in hand they ran back into the school laughing hysterically, only stopping to catch their breaths when they were in the shelter of the Entrance Hall. Hermione's books were perfectly dry, because she had somehow remembered to use the _Impervio_ charm on them, but had forgotten to place one on herself.

"You look like a wet dog," said Cedric and grinned, though it was difficult to do that while panting. Hermione glared at his Cheshire grin and laughed at him.

"Well, you look like the Cheshire cat dragged through the rain," she said between gasps of laughter. Eventually they both stopped. Hermione looked into his eyes and realised something. His eyes weren't just any gray. "You have storm-gray eyes."

"I'm just your average storm-gray-boy," said Cedric, smiling brightly. He squeezed her hand which was still in his. Hermione looked down, surprised, and quickly shot back a step, breaking contact. A look of disappointment flashed across Cedric's face but was gone before Hermione could be sure she saw it.

The mood had changed from crazed to awkward and Hermione realised she was still too young to handle awkward.

"I guess I'll see you at the Yule Ball then, Storm-gray-boy," said Hermione, holding out her hand for the books which he still held hostage.

"Of course," said Cedric lamely, inwardly wincing at how pathetic he knew he sounded. He handed her the books, watched as she ascended the steps and took a deep, calming breath.

Hermione hefted her small mountain of books with little enthusiasm. She wished Cedric had said something before she left. She'd had a good time with him, no matter how peculiar he was at times, but she didn't want to admit it unless he did.

"Hey there."

Hermione almost jumped out of her skin and dropped most of her books. She turned to see Cedric innocently collecting them up again.

"You really should be more careful with your books," said Cedric handing them to her as though he had nothing to do with the travesty of dropping her books and guiltlessly grinned his Cheshire cat grin.

"Where did you come from and what do you want?" asked Hermione, a little bit annoyed and a lot amused, accepting the books.

"I'm a wizard, I can appear from thin air. It's not my fault that _some_ people are too self-possessed to hear the pop of an apparition" said Cedric, casually waving a hand in the air and waving away Hermione's protests. "As to what I want, I just wanted to say that I enjoyed practicing the waltz and the 'Spin' and the 'Fall' with you."

Hermione gaped while he talked, not sure of how to react.

"I, I enjoyed dancing with you too," mumbled Hermione, not sure what else to say and looked down shyly.

"I also wanted to say that I don't want to be a storm-gray-boy," said Cedric indignantly as he seated himself securely on the bannister of the stairs. Hermione looked up at him with concern, but saw the Cheshire cat grinning down at her.

"I want to be _your_ Storm-gray-boy," finished Cedric, grinned even brighter than before and slid down the bannister quickly, leaving Hermione on the steps confused as to what their conversation had just accomplished. Then suddenly, a loose link in Hermione's head clicked. She turned round and yelled at the shrinking figure a few flight of steps below her.

"But you _can't_ apparate on school grounds!"


	3. Child

**AN -** **_FIXED UP THE ENDING OF CHAPTER 2!!!_**

Sorry for the long wait. University work is piling up, sadly. However, I've finally found time to finish this chapter. It's really badly written. I apologize profusely!!

**Thank you to -** Right-or-Ryn, gingensu, oxtenshixo, HanyAny, Kennedy, Not-a-Spare and yourdarkestsecret13861.

Without your supports through reviews, which I kept reading to keep me inspired, I wouldn't have finished this chapter.

**P.S. –** The song in the second scene is Ilaria Graziano's _Diamonds_. You can find it at _www . myspace . com / grazianoilaria_

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**His ****Diamond in the Rough**

**(A.k.a. **_**Child**_

Cedric stood outside the Great Hall with Cho at his side. Somehow, he felt that tonight, Cho was somewhere else, not that he could complain.

After all it would make him all kinds of a hypocrite, since his mind was wondering where Hermione was, and what she'd thought of his sudden outburst.

Cedric hadn't seen her since he'd left before he let her answer. He was absent-mindedly greeting some friends when he heard Parvati's exclamation.

"She's _beautiful_!"

"Yes, she is," agreed Harry, though he sounded distracted.

Cedric whipped round to see Hermione descending, almost floating down the main stairway in a confection of periwinkle. The dress wasn't _forever_ blue, but Cedric barely noticed the dress, only the radiant smile that graced Hermione's face.

He saw Hermione take the arm of an enamoured Krum, and wave shyly at Harry who seemed to be similarly captivated.

Strangely, Cedric felt something akin to jealousy. If he was going to be completely honest with himself, he was simply jealous. Period. But of course, Cedric had no intention of being honest with himself. He'd been brought up as gentlemen and gentlemen don't get jealous. Besides, green wasn't really his colour.

Cedric smiled at Hermione as the champions lined up with their dates to enter the Great Hall.

Hermione saw Cedric smile at her, and for once, it looked genuine, completely lacking any Cheshire-likeness. It was almost unsettling, but she smiled back and steeled herself to the stares that were almost overwhelming as they entered the Great Hall.

Hermione gasped as she saw the frosted confection it had become for the Yule Ball. Viktor smiled sweetly at her and guided her to the dance floor. Hermione squirmed a little as Viktor took up her waist. His hand, while not Cedric's, was so light on her that it tickled.

"You are beautiful tonight, Hermy-own," he said to her as he held closely. Hermione blushed at the compliment, but thanked him.

Viktor was an accomplished dancer and Hermione found that while dancing with Cedric was as exhilarating as a cannonballing into the sea, dancing with Viktor was more like floating peacefully in the middle of the ocean.

In his arms Hermione found a peace that she normally couldn't find in the company of boys. But Viktor was a man, and Hermione knew she was still too young to appreciate him as a suitor. She needed to be sure of herself before she could take up any offers, and that included Cedric's.

But while she danced, the music erased her mounting problems as the steady movement of her body erased the worries on her mind.

Focus on the music, Hermione told herself. Focus on the dance. Only this, only now, only the dance.

Without noticing, five dances flew by and Hermione found herself enjoying the broken conversation with Viktor. His English was flawed, but his words were sweet and genuine.

Cedric saw Hermione dancing with Krum, no worse, enjoying dancing with Krum. Emotion spiked his heart and he was about to turn from the picture they made together when Hermione turned and her eyes smiled at his.

Somehow, Cedric felt assured, though he wasn't certain what he felt assured about, his place in her heart, or whether his place was higher up than Krum's. Unfortunately Krum then spun her out of his sight and Cho had turned her attention back to him.

The song ended and the next song was to be a waltz. Cho had conveniently decided to talk to her friends, as the waltz was too dull for her.

Cedric took a breath to prepare himself and then took the plunge. He walked up steadily behind Krum and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey there, I'm cutting in if you don't mind mate."

Hermione looked up and blushed. Cedric stood behind Krum with a Cheshire grin that belied his inner turmoil. Krum didn't look pleased but grunted his consent anyway.

Hermione looked at Krum apologetically as Cedric stepped up to take his place, though she was secretly thrilled. Cedric faltered for a second, catching the look that she'd sent to Krum, but relaxed again when Hermione looked up happily at him.

Unfortunately she caught herself smiling at him and toned down her delight to just contentedness. It wouldn't do to let Cedric see how much she appreciated his company. Merlin knows that the boy already had a big enough head already.

"Are you enjoying the ball?" Hermione asked casually trying not to be caught in his storm-gray eyes or by his Cheshire grin. "You found someone to go with after all I see."

"Yes, Cho was a good sport and agreed to go with me," Cedric said nonchalantly, not caring if she caught him staring at her.

Tonight she was the only girl he felt compelled to look at. Tonight she held herself differently, possibly from the lack of books. Tonight she was a true princess. But tonight Cedric wasn't Hermione's prince.

Out of the corner of his eye Cedric could see Krum staring at them with a dark look on his face. For this dance, however, she was _his_ anything and Cedric couldn't help but send a smirk in Krum's direction.

The rest of the dance was danced in silence, mostly because Cedric was too absorbed in memorising everything about the moment, and Hermione too was captivated by the intensity of his eyes. All too soon the dance was over.

"I vould be liking my date back please."

Viktor smiled at Hermione and offered his hand. He smirked at Cedric as Hermione took his hand, but Cedric refused to rise to the bait.

Cedric graciously stepped back and bowed to Hermione grinning his Cheshire cat grin. She blushed and smiled. Hermione almost found his grin comforting now.

Turning back to Viktor, her heart still pounding from the intensity of Cedric's gaze and his grin, she tried to find peace in dancing with Viktor again.

The night had been going beautifully and Hermione was exhausted, enjoying both Viktor and Cedric's company. The two seemed to love egging each other on, which made Hermione all manner of uncomfortable, but otherwise, the dancing had been marvellous.

Ron had ruined it all of course.

He always had to ruin it all.

And hence, this had led to Hermione's forlorn presence on the steps of the Entrance hall.

Hermione wiped furiously at the tears that clung stubbornly to her cheeks and sobbed. Her mind was beginning to toy with the idea that Ron may have been right in the assumption that no male would ever see her as anything but a walking encyclopaedia.

It was a very depressing idea indeed.

"Hey there."

Hermione looked up from the ruffles of her dress, and almost welcomed the sight of Cedric, with his concerned smile.

"Why the tears milady?" asked Cedric, as he settled down on the steps next to her.

Hermione couldn't help it, no matter how embarrassing it was. She put her head on his shoulder and breathed in his cologne. It steadied her; the scent was calming, musky, and mature and had a hint of rain before it fell.

"It's Ron, he was being such a _git_ prior to the ball, so surethat no one would ever take _me_ to the ball," rasped Hermione, her voice hoarse from crying, "and just now when I was enjoying myself, he came and ruined _everything _by telling me that Krum only asked me to come with him because I could tell him the answers to the clue, as though I wasn't good enough."

Cedric was raging internally at Ron, but fought against letting his dark side out. He'd take care of Ron Weasley later. He listened intently as Hermione continued on, just enjoying the feeling of her head resting lightly on his shoulder and the sound her voice.

"I wasn't good enough for him, so I wouldn't be good enough for anyone else, that's what he was telling me," Hermione whispered, "unless of course Merlin forbid, they were _using_ me, because why else would _anyone, want, me?"_

Hermione couldn't help it; she started to sob hysterically against Cedric's shoulder.

Cedric's heart ached for her. That anyone could be so cruel was unfathomable. No one deserved to be treated in such a way.

He took Hermione's hand and pulled her into a hug. The poor thing didn't even put up a fight, a sign of which Cedric took to be of great distress. He just stroked her back as comfortingly as he could manage and raged internally

"It's too beautiful a night for any beautiful lady to be any sort of blue at all, and I would be schmuck to let you stay in such a way," said Cedric as he brushed away the tears from her cheek.

Her skin was smooth against his quidditch-roughened hands.

Hermione let him dry her tears, her heart soothed by the feel of his fingers, and his kind words. Cedric's patience amazed her and she was touched by his efforts to make her smile again.

She followed him out to their grassy knoll and gazed down at the lake. It was a mirror that trapped the stars beneath its surface. Hermione turned back to look at Cedric.

"_meloduccia!"_ said Cedric, casting the same charm as before. It was a different song this time, but Hermione found it pleasant to the ears.

"If you would care to give me the pleasure of a dance my lady?" asked Cedric as he held out his hand to her. Hermione placed hers in his and Cedric arranged her position around him.

The music was slow as it thrummed from Cedric's wand.

A slow dance, not a waltz, the kind where the girl puts her arms around the boy's neck and swayed where he lead her. So Hermione did.

Hermione closed her eyes as she leant her forehead against Cedric's chest listening to the beat of his heart, which was as relaxing as the music itself. She felt the stress of preparing Harry for his tasks melt off her shoulders, as did the Ron's horrid idea.

_little diamonds  
don't you go away  
let me love you  
can I keep you near?  
Let me hold you dear for all time  
don't know what it is  
you sparkle with a kiss  
little diamonds  
little diamonds  
be mine_

"This song makes me think of you," said Cedric.

Hermione didn't look up she had reached a perfect state of mental peace. She didn't even twitch when he laid his cheek against her head, so long as his hands stayed chaste, she wouldn't say a word.

"Why do you say that?" said Hermione drowsily.

"It's like the song says, you shine like the sun, from beneath your tough exterior."

"I'mmmm," murmured Hermione, now too gone to be coherent," not… tough."

"It's ok to be defensive when you need to be you know, but I wish you'd just let it go sometimes. You think that this has been a conspiracy to humiliate you, but all I want to show you is that I respect you," said Cedric as he too closed his eyes and savoured the calm that emanated from the usually fiery girl.

"You're a true believer of the phrase of 'if you want something done you have to do it yourself,' but you never try trusting people first. You do all of Harry's research because you think he won't do it himself and while I'm sure you're the reason he's managed to this far with a whole lot less damage, he's got to learn life's lessons for himself. I know I shouldn't be saying these things, but I just want to see you happy."

Cedric took a deep breath and steeled himself to say his next words.

"I care about you, more than as a friend, even if you barely see me as a friend now, I want to help you learn some of those life's lessons too, like I said before, I want to be _your_ anything," said Cedric, already flinching in preparation for the torrent of harsh words he expected from the fiery brunette.

He waited for a response, but got none.

At last the suspense was too much for him. He opened his eyes and tried to withdraw from the embrace, but found that Hermione's frame was, despite being petite, very heavy when she was unconscious.

Cedric debated his options as to what he was to do with an unconscious girl that would not seem overly suspicious. He was nowhere near finishing his debate when to his relief Hermione's body became suddenly stiff, which meant that she was awake again.

"Hermione?"

"Cedric, you're here," Hermione said, in a tone that was almost astonishment, as she struggled free of his embrace and looked clearly into his eyes. Her's were filled with tears, which confused him.

"Hermione, what's wrong? I'm sorry if I offended you," Cedric asked, worried for the tears in her eyes. "If it makes you feel better you can forge-."

"No, I don't want to forget. I never want to forget," said Hermione threw her arms around him again.

Cedric was intimidated by this sudden change in behaviour, but savoured the feeling of her embrace.

"Cedric, I need to tell you something, I, I," Hermione sounded agitated and Cedric held her away from him so that he could look at her.

"Yes? It's ok, you can trust me."

"It's not about trust. Cedric, just -" Hermione sobbed in frustration. The words just wouldn't come.

She sighed heavily and continued, "I just want you to know that I want you to be my storm-gray-boy. I really do. Remember that won't you, Cedric?"

She looked imploringly at him.

Despite his utter confusion, Cedric had never felt so light hearted.

"I'll never forget it, my forever-blue-girl," he said and he embraced her.

Hermione's face lit up with a heartfelt smile and she relaxed in his arms again. Cedric always smelled like rain to her, and the rain made her calm.

"You'll always be my Forever-Blue-Girl," said Cedric as he rocked her. Soon he felt her go limp in his arms again and smiled to himself. Cedric pressed a soft kiss to her hair and scooped her up.

He whistled all the way to Gryffindor tower, with _his_ anything in his arms.

Cedric Diggory knew that Hermione Granger was still a child waiting to grow up.

He was willing to wait with her.

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**AN – **I'm sorry the last part is confusing, but remember it. It'll come clear later on why that's important.

_**FIXED UP CHAPTER 2 ENDING!!**_

Reviews and constructive criticism is very much welcomed. Remember I am fueled by encouragement (a.k.a. reviews!)


	4. Interlude MOOSH

Hey guys, thanks for those of you watching this story.

For those who don't know, this year has been fraught with stress and my muse died or took a holiday or something, but now Zombie-muse has been resurrected and sooooo, the next chapter will be up by the end of the month, I promise.

While this IS an Author's Note, it's only one because I'm too lazy to insert into this story the 'Interlude' chapter I finally finished while procrastinating.

'Interlude – Moosh' takes place somewhere roughly between chapters 2 and 3. Please find it at my profile and REVIEW!! Let me know what you think please, reviews always make me work harder and thus write more!


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